Advances in positron emission tomography now allow specific pathological features of many brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease to be measured with a brain scan during life. This Fellowship will assist Professor Rowe and his team in their world leading work on new PET scanning techniques to improve diagnosis and assist the development of treatment for Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases of the brain.
Controlling The Development And Function Of Hindbrain Commissures In Vertebrate Animals: The Role Of Robo3 Receptor
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$393,834.00
Summary
Commissural axons connect and coordinate activity between neurons of the left and right sides of the central nervous system. In the forebrain, formation of commissural axons is determined by guidance factors at the midline between the two hemispheres, and abnormalities in guidance can cause developmental malformations. The aims of this project are to elucidate function of the Robo/Slit family of molecules in regulating axon guidance of commissural neurons, particularly in the corpus callosum.
Pathophysiological Decision-making In Children With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder And Tic Disorders: Action-selection And Imaging Correlates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
Why is it that a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has trouble deciding whether or not to wash their hands? We scanned the brains of teenagers with OCD while they made decisions and found that they had difficulty using cues in their environment to direct choices. This may be an early vulnerability for the development of the disorder that could guide prevention. We plan to check if that difficulty is present in younger children with OCD and their family members.
Neurexin And Neuroligin: A Code For Synaptic Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$349,590.00
Summary
As soon as we are born, we interpret our world through our senses, learn new information and lay down memory. These processes require molecules that connect neurons together. Mutations in genes encoding these molecules result in incorrect wiring of the brain and lead to mental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Using simple insect models, our project aims to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of how these molecules function in the brain and how their interaction controls behaviour.
Interleukin-6 -gp130 Signaling And Actions In The CNS
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$549,092.00
Summary
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a member of a family of cytokine proteins that may be causative factors in many neurological disorders where they are involved in diverse processes including inflammation, neuronal injury and repair. In this project we will study how IL-6 affects the brain to bring about these outcomes. The results of this work will advance our understanding of how members of this cytokine family function and how they contribute to neurological disease.
Identification And Characterisation Of A Novel Parkinson's Disease Gene
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,313.00
Summary
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex neurological condition affecting 100,000 Australians. The primary clinical features of PD result from the selective loss of a specific type of neuron. These neurons make up less than 1% of the over 50 million neurons within the brain, and it is currently unclear why they are preferentially lost during disease development. We have identified a novel gene that causes early onset parkinsonism. This study will characterise the gene and determine what role it pla ....Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex neurological condition affecting 100,000 Australians. The primary clinical features of PD result from the selective loss of a specific type of neuron. These neurons make up less than 1% of the over 50 million neurons within the brain, and it is currently unclear why they are preferentially lost during disease development. We have identified a novel gene that causes early onset parkinsonism. This study will characterise the gene and determine what role it plays in the development of PD.Read moreRead less
TorsinA Mediated Dystonia, Functional Analysis And Molecular Models
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$479,817.00
Summary
The dystonias represent a group of movement disorders characterised by sustained muscle contraction, resulting in twisting and abnormal postures. Current treatment regimes may provide some measure of symptomatic relief, but are often unsatisfactory and limited by adverse side effects. The prevalence of dystonia is estimated at approximately 300 cases per million population. Dystonia is a complex disorder, the causes and disease mechanisms are not well understood. However, in the past 10 years se ....The dystonias represent a group of movement disorders characterised by sustained muscle contraction, resulting in twisting and abnormal postures. Current treatment regimes may provide some measure of symptomatic relief, but are often unsatisfactory and limited by adverse side effects. The prevalence of dystonia is estimated at approximately 300 cases per million population. Dystonia is a complex disorder, the causes and disease mechanisms are not well understood. However, in the past 10 years several genes have been identified that can cause dystonia. The overall aim of this proposal is to characterise a gene that causes dystonia when disrupted. Understanding the function of this gene may significantly advance our understanding of this disorder. Using these results, we aim to model dystonia in cellular and animal systems; these may provide powerful insight into the molecular pathway(s) perturbed in dystonia and a means to develop novel therapeutic approaches to alleviate or prevent the disorder.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101222
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,392.00
Summary
The development of novel magnetic resonance imaging methods to investigate brain structure and function. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive method that has revolutionised neuroscience. The goal of this project is to develop state-of-the-art MRI analysis methods that reveal new information about brain structure and function. These novel neuroimaging tools will be instrumental in furthering our understanding of how the brain works.
Advanced magnetic resonance imaging methods for the characterisation of brain structure and function. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive method that has revolutionised the development of neuroscience and neurology. The goal of this project is to develop advanced MRI methods for the study of brain structure and function which will be applied to the investigation of epilepsy and stroke.
Genetic And Functional Analysis Of Brain Malformations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$105,327.00
Summary
Disorders of early brain development are recognised as a significant cause of illness and disability in children. Unfortunately, the causes of these conditions are poorly understood, and treatment options are limited. It has become apparent that many of these conditions have an underlying genetic basis. This project will identify genes that regulate brain development and aid the development of improved treatment programs for brain and mind disorders.